For an activity called The Move, have the pupils imagine that their family is moving and that it's up to them where the family goes. Have them write a persuasive essay convincing their family to move to a specific place. They should include details about the destination, such as whether it's a city or small town and what type of house it is. The pupils must include two or three specific reasons why they chose this location.
Have third-graders make a brochure to persuade their friends and family of something. Show the pupils 10 to 15 brochures from local businesses. Include a wide variety of business types, including medical practices, retail stores, service providers and real estate agents. Discuss how these brochures are used to persuade people to purchase these companies' goods or services.
Give the children construction paper, pencils, crayons and colored pencils and have them begin making their own brochure. Tell them to choose a topic they enjoy, such as "Florida is the perfect vacation spot" or "Spinach is bad." The children write statements and draw pictures. They can show their brochures to their families and see if they've convinced them.
Amelia Bedelia books are captivating to third-grade pupils. These books tell stories about a woman named Amelia Bedelia, who misunderstands all the instructions she is given. She works for a couple named Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, and they are often left frustrated by Amelia's actions. For example, they ask her to dust the furniture. Instead of cleaning the dust off the furniture, she sprinkles dust all over the furniture. Give them this example and have them choose a way that Mr. and Mrs. Rogers should handle this situation. The pupils then write a letter to the couple persuading them exactly how they should respond to Amelia Bedelia. For example, one pupil might persuades them to have her do the work again after showing her step by step how to do it. Another pupil may advocate firing her.
Tell the children to imagine that the principal has decided to cancel recess. From today on, the pupils no longer have this privilege. Instruct them to write a letter to the principal persuading her to change this decision. Each child should include three reasons why.